Aspects of the Atonement: Cross and Resurrection in the Reconciling of God and Humanity
Overview
The Christian understanding of the meaning of the death of Jesus Christ and its relationship to the salvation of sinful humanity is currently the subject of intense debate and criticism. The papers covering this important area are expanded versions of the 2006 series of Chuen King Lectures given in the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
In the first two chapters Howard Marshall discusses the nature of the human plight in relation to the judgment of God and then offers a nuanced defense of the doctrine of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ for sinners. The third chapter examines the place of the resurrection of Christ as an integral part of the process whereby sinners are put in the right with God. In the final chapter argues that in our communication of the gospel today the New Testament concept of reconciliation may be the most comprehensive and apt expression of the lasting significance of the death of Christ.
Top Highlights
“The resurrection of Christ is not simply a return to the physical life in this world that he had before his crucifixion, but it is his re-entry into the spiritual life that he enjoyed before the incarnation.” (Page 78)
“Evangelicalism is that form of the Christian faith which is associated with the revival movement that took place in Europe and North America during the eighteenth century.” (Page 2)
“In what way is the death of Jesus Christ the ground of our salvation?” (Page 4)
“Atonement means the covering of sin by something which God Himself had provided and therefore the covering of sin by God Himself.” (Page 41)
“Why does this divine/human relationship need to be restored if it is not because God is angered by the misdeeds of his creatures?” (Page 13)
- Title: Aspects of the Atonement
- Author: I. Howard Marshall
- Publisher: Paternoster
- Publication Date: 2007
- Pages: 176
I. Howard Marshall (1934-2015) was a world-renowned New Testament scholar and the author or editor of at least thirty-eight books and more than 120 essays and articles. He taught New Testament at the University of Aberdeen for thirty-five years and was a professor emeritus for sixteen years. Among his numerous publications on the New Testament are his commentaries on the Gospel of Luke, Acts, 1-2 Thessalonians, the Pastoral Epistles and 1 Peter and 1-3 John. He is coauthor of Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Letters and Revelation and coeditor of the New International Greek Testament Commentary series, as well as the author of the series' volume on Luke. He has also authored New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel. Marshall was an evangelical Methodist who was born and lived most of his life in Scotland. He received a PhD from the University of Aberdeen and a DD from Asbury Theological Seminary.
Reviews
3 ratings
Glenn Crouch
1/18/2016
With the Author's recent passing, I decided that it would be good to read one of his books that I hadn't read in the past - thus my choice of this book on the Atonement :) First, I would point out that this is a relatively small book on quite a weighty topic, and that the Author has basically taken 4 Lectures / Essays and edited them together to form this book. Whilst neither of these issues is a bad thing nor are they in any way hidden, I do think there was a lack of flow that would be present in a book written for a particular purposes. However, briefness is often a good thing in a book, especially if it is being used either for revision / reminding of these important issues, or as a starting point encouraging a more in-depth study. For the latter a decent biblography / suggested reading list would have been nice. I did enjoy the Author's coverage of different aspects of the Atonement - though I would've like a little more coverage of the weaknesses in the various models (eg Ransom does not invite us to ponder to whom the ransom was paid) - and the Author does at least indicate this side of things in his the concluding portions of the 4th and final part of the book. Overall, a good introduction to the historic Evangelical of the Atonement.
John Vignol
7/24/2013
Patrick Talbot
1/11/2012
This book is a practical and powerful presentation of the New Testament concept of reconciliation.